


The Last Day; Whiskey Lullaby

by HiddenCharacter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), The Tournament (2009)
Genre: Anyelle, Belle x Joseph, Clergy, F/M, Joseph x Belle, Macelle - Freeform, Once Upon A Time, Priest, The Tounament, belle x macavoy, macavoy x belle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:38:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3292322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenCharacter/pseuds/HiddenCharacter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Macelle; The reason Father Joseph MacAvoy can't stop drinking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Day; Whiskey Lullaby

Mass was long and drawn out with the rain that came with the day. The priest tried to put together his best sermon. Seeing _she_ had arrived so joyously as she had every Sunday.

Her soft smile towards the priest gave way to ease. A _relief_ , sinful even if it was truly _innocent_. "Father.." She'd speak presenting herself before the man. Her blue eyes staring brightly up to him. Brown curls framing her face, her stare one of worry.

_One that would haunt him days after._

"What is it my child?" The priest would ask to see the young woman smile. Feel her hands rest upon his shoulder as worry sets in on him. A pain in his chest, a tightening that gave him warning. 

They were alone after everyone had gone. She had staid having come alone to the small church. A usual occurrence for the young woman. Only something wasn't the same. "Belle?" Spoke the priest as she pressed her lips together. Softly smiling in the weakest of expressions.

"Joseph.."

_Joseph._

Father MacAvoy knew something was wrong the moment his name left her. 

"Papa is sendin' me away!" Belle cried before she wrapped her arms around him. Her fingers clinging to the black fabric of his blazer. As her head pressed down against his chest. "I'm not a bad girl! I'm not! W-why must he do this to me!"

Joseph kept his arms to his sides and closed his eyes tight. She had confided in him, she put her faith in a coward. "I-I don't know Belle, I-I'm sorry.." Father MacAvoy forced from himself as a hand rest down on her shoulder. Pushing her from his body before he backed away. Giving them space where it needed be.

"Joseph-" She cried, truly cried as the tears wretched him inside. Seeing the young soul so lost and afraid. The angel in his flock that he could not save.

"Belle.." Joseph cut before she could say anymore. His eyes cold to her unlike the times before. When he gave way to their meetings. Gave in to the lost girl who poured herself to him. "I can't do anything for you Ms. French. He is your father, and I am a priest!"  He growled before stepping back further from the young woman. "I can't stop what he's done, I can't stop what he's going to do."

The girl began to curl inward on herself. Her arms wrapped around her as she stared on the priest terrified. As if he had hurt her to the core. Tears never stopping as she was crying harder because of his words.

_"Y-you could Joseph, you could have stopped it all!"_

Joseph awoke screaming out in terror as the visions struck him. Her blood on his hands and her body before him. Belle's father confessing he had taken her away from him. Ending her life before it hand began. His damned temptation, the angel among his flock.

"Belle.." MacAvoy sobbed into his hand as he sat up. Curling up against the wall closest to his bed. News articles from years ago covered over the wall. Stories of a missing girl and the search for her. One particular was framed and hung next to a school picture...

**'Isabelle French of Middlesburgh, London had gone missing on a Sunday evening  She had left a local church and was heading home when she vanished. Her whereabouts were never discovered.**

**Most believed the girl's father had a hand in her disappearance. Having moved out of town just after a bible was found with the name Belle French written inside.** **The bible was one identified as having been given to Isabelle by Father Joseph MacAvoy. Another man believed at one point to have been apart of her disappearance.**

**Father MacAvoy confessed he had been the last person to have seen Isabelle, and might have been able to stop her disappearance. Instead he had turned the girl away at a grave cost. No one knows if the girl had been kidnapped or perhaps ran away from her home.**

**All is know is that a young woman left a small town. Leaving the residents to question; Who is really to blame?'**

Father MacAvoy sat up straight with his back pressed against the bed railing. His eyes on the picture of the seventeen year old. "I could have stop this Belle, I could have." Joseph admitted before his attention turned else where. To a bottle of cheap whiskey there beside his bed.

A hand reached out for the bottle. Only to have it pushed away. By the image of a young girl with long brown curls. Showing her concern for his horrid state.

_"You promise you'd stop drinking Joseph!"_

The apparition told him stern. Joseph waved a hand and grasped the neck of the bottle. "I've broke every promise I made to you. What makes this one any different." Father MacAvoy mumbled as he pulled the bottle to him. Taking his first swig of the burning liquid.

It was the anniversary of Belle's disappearance. She would have been twenty eight within the week. "Forgive me again.." Joseph whispered as his eyes rose to her picture. 

"I'll drink no more, when I am with you again." 

-

This was the reason Father MacAvoy drank. To wash away her memory, because Belle's life was short and he hadn't the strength to get off his knees. 


End file.
